Forced abortion in Scientology
Forced and coerced abortion in Scientology The Church of Scientology coerces staff members to have abortions to prevent job vacancies and interruptions in work flow. Scientology staff and particularly Sea Organization members have been harassed, intimidated, threatened with expulsion, and directly ordered to have abortions. For some women, what has long been codenamed the "no babies rule" has been the "deal-breaker" that motivated them to leave Scientology. For others terminating a pregnancy for the "greater good" of Scientology has led to trauma and damaged health. While the church publicly denies pressuring women into abortions, testimony over many years belies this. The church asserts these accusations of intimidation come from a small group of disgruntled apostates. However, the sheer number of published first-hand accounts (that can be easily found through an internet search), discredit this claim. The church has also tried to "spin" the prohibition against children in the Sea Organization as voluntary abstinence. A vow of celibacy Sea Org members choose for themselves. This is patently false. Historically, the church has often housed children in communal living and published plans to expand accommodations for Sea Org children. There is no policy in which church founder, L. Ron Hubbard invokes a call to religious chastity. The history and written policies in this article demonstrate that chastity has never been a concern of the church. However, abortion has long been a tool of expediency and control in Scientology. As one ex-Scientologist describes: ...That a religious organization would at least condone abortion and at its worst demand it, is criminal. One of the pregnant ones in Adelaide I know, would have kept the baby were it not for her involvement in $cn. This culture of "whatever it takes" allows for any crime to be committed for the good of the cult. I can't describe my disgust. | }} Another Ex-Scientologist writes: An extended family member was in the SO at PAC Angeles for around 10 years... After she'd been in for several years she got pregnant. She wanted kids badly and she was so excited as she called her family to tell them the good news. A couple weeks later she called again, crying inconsolably. She had been sent to ethics for getting pregnant and been "made to see "that it was out-ethics for her to have a child because the fate of every man, woman and child in the entire universe hangs on what they do in Scn, and that she would have to leave the SO if she had a baby which would make her a degraded being so she'd had an abortion. She called and cried every day for weeks. | }} Scientology is an authoritarian religion that dominates parishioners lives in many ways. Coercing staff abortions is among the most shocking. Taking control of a couple's natural right and biological impulse to have children is ultimate dominance. Using intimidation, power of authority, and threats, to coerce a woman to unwillingly terminate a pregnancy is a severe violation of human rights. For a church to institutionalize such a policy is unconscionable. Coerced abortion: Condemned by Scientologists Unsurprisingly, many devoted Scientologists (both inside and outside the official church) condemn the practice of coercing abortions. Concern over the church's use of intimidation and force is, not at all, confined to "anti-scientologists" and those protesting the church. Scientologists inside the church are generally unable to voice their protest, but many practicing Scientology independently (in what is known as the "Freezone") have called for an end to to these abuses. One such "Freezoner" writes: For any victim of this practice reading this, I for one do not judge you if you buckled to the pressure, but I sure would like this evil practice stopped, and Larry would be the best person (in my opinion) to do that. The world needs to know just how badly things have gotten in Scientology before it will stop. | }} As "SaintBastard" comments: }} Dianetics: Implicitly anti-abortion Hubbard's advocation (or tacit acceptance) of abortion surprises those familiar with “Dianetics” – the book Hubbard wrote that forms the foundation of Scientology. In “Dianetics”, Hubbard staunchly opposes abortion, claiming that any disturbance of a fetus creates spiritually traumatic “engrams”. In his biography of Hubbard entitled "A Piece of Blue Sky", Jon Atack writes: Going against popular belief, Hubbard insisted that life in the womb was fraught with pain and that the fetus is constantly receiving engrams. Hubbard gave a gruesome list, which he claimed was from a real case: Coitus chain, father fifty-seven incidents; Coitus chain, lover nineteen incidents; Constipation chain fifty-two incidents; Douche chain twenty-two incidents; Morning sickness chain twenty-three incidents; Fight chain thirty-eight incidents; Attempted abortion chain twenty-eight incidents; Accident chain eighteen incidents; Masturbation chain eighty-one incidents. This unfortunate individual had received over 300 engrams before coming into the world. In Scientology: The Now Religion, author George Malko wrote that "Hubbard's extensive discussion of things sexual, his concern with abortions, beatings, coitus under duress, flatulence which causes pressure on the foetus, certain cloacal references, all suggest to me a fascination which borders on the obsessive, as if he possessed a deep-seated hatred of women. All of them are being beaten, most of them prove to be unfaithful, few babies are wanted. | }} In a post entitled Contradictions Between Source Material and Practice, "TonyMerman" wrote: }} In answer, former Scientologist, "Enrico Entheta" responded: Abortion or forced to leave Sea Org, are your only two options on that one. | }} Pregnancy and children: An inconvenience Pressure to terminate pregnancies started as an unwritten policy aboard L. Ron Hubbard's ship "Apollo". In the 1970's Hubbard moved his base of operations to the open seas to avoid legal prosecution. He started the Sea Organization to supply crew for his endeavors. With men and women living in close quarters aboard Hubbard's personal Navy, pregnancies became a ongoing inconvenience. Wikipedia relates the testimony of one former Sea Org member: }} In the 1980's, the discrepancy regarding abortions became the rule in Scientology as the pressures of church expansion made pregnancies and children a systemic inconvenience. Carmel relates the attitudes of church executives in during these formative years: Most who got pregnant, knew they weren't allowed to have a baby, so 'coughed up', and went along with the expectation of having an abortion. Others tried to stand up to the pressure, but couldn't - being in the SO and standing up to name withheld was a bloody tall order. One's only option was to covertly get out of there, without approval... The SO rule regarding "no kids" did not exist at this time. However, it was an un-written law for those in the SO in Sydney and any execs or trained staff in SydDay and SydF at this particular time.” | }} "No more babies or pregnancies" becomes official policy Scientology's "no babies" in the Sea Org rule was codified after failed attempts to accommodate children in communal living structures at the church's "PAC" base in Los Angeles, California. In 1979 Hubbard made it clear that "no babies" was a "facilities management" issue, not a matter of religious purity. Through LRH Comm International the following orders were issued to "All PAC Executives and Crew": As “no babies” evolved into an unwritten abortion policy (stringently enforced by Scientology executives) it was publicly disguised with pro-family rhetoric. The full text of Hubbard's edict, signed by the Scientology board of directors, is as follows: Currently the execs of the CCO are working to set it up to take care of our children but the current set up is inadequate for our existing Sea Org children and far behind the growth of the baby population in PAC. It is important that CCO be given the chance to become set up to ensure our children are cared for optimumly and trained for their future. We have alot of work to do on the third dynamic here in PAC and alot to handle and the time and work having to be expended to cope with the expanding baby population at CCO can be better directed toward this. Therefore the following rule is established: FROM NOW UNTIL THERE ARE ADEQUATE FACILITIES AND PERSONNEL FOR THE CCO AND THAT ORG IS SET UP TO HANDLE BOTH EXISTING SEA ORG CHILDREN AND FUTURE EXPANSION, THERE ARE TO BE NO MORE BABIES OR PREGNANCIES IN PAC. This rule will stay in effect until CCO has a new building, has a full complement of the necessary personnel and an established and functioning HCO which can and does continue to put the org there. Once these conditions are met, the rule will be lifted. Any couple violating this rule will be subject to immediate Fitness Board to determine whether they are sufficiently a facility differential to their org and the Sea Org to warrant the expense, manpower and space required to care for their child. If the Fitness Board finds that they are not, they will be routed out. Any person recruited for a PAC Org who has children must be weighed against his value to the SO versus the expense and work of caring for the child or children. For example, a Class VIII who has one child would be of sufficient worth to the SO, however, a Basic Courses Grad with four children would not necessarily be. Before any person with children is routed in a CSW showing the person's worth and how the org is going to accomodate for the children at CCO must be approved through Sr HCO PAC. This rule is not intended in any way to cut across the Second Dynamic of PAC Sea Org members nor is it intended that Sea Org members may not have children. It is only until CCO is set up to care for and accomodate more children. This rule applies only to further pregnancies, no SO couple expecting a child is to be fitness boarded because of that. They and their org however, should do all possible to assist in the establishment and expansion of the CCO, as should any couple who wants to have children. By actually putting CCO there and setting it up to establish and expand itself, we will make it possible for the growth and expansion of Sea Org children, those with us now and those of the future. | }} Whether or not this represented Hubbard's good intentions, veteran Sea Org members understood that any plans to establish extensive child care facilities were delusive. Concerning the deceptive propaganda, one ex-Scientologist writes: }} And certainly, the continuing reality of forced abortions made Hubbard's true intentions clear. }} Despite Hubbard writing that abortion creates spiritual "engrams", the church made doctrinal allowance for the procedure by simply concluding the soul enters the body at birth, not conception. Scientology's dogmatically absolute "mind-body" dualism made this an easy alteration. Scientology teaches that humans are reincarnated souls (called "thetans") that have lived countless lifetimes in multiple universes. Children are "thetans" packaged in a small body. Since thetans consciously "choose" to enter a new body at birth, if they "miss out" on a body because of abortion, the thetan simply chooses another. Scientology doctrine tends to devalue biological life, purporting that thetans can "pick up a new body" at any time. A process akin to trading in an old car. Many consider the church's Cartesian dualism to be a catalyst to Scientology's ready acceptance of abortion. It is also suggested as a reason for the high incidence of suicide in Scientology. Whether true or not, the church's mechanistic view of biological life may heighten feelings of personal conflict for women and men facing the prospect of abortion, by oversimplifying what is generally considered a great human mystery. Forced choice: Abortion or banishment After Hubbard's death, Scientology's "no babies rule" was further institutionalized by Flag Order 3905-1. Issued by Senior Executive Guilame Leserve, FO3905-1 admitted the obvious, stating that children were not conducive to the Sea Org and laid to rest any notion of building child care facilities. Still, no mention is made of religious celibacy in the Sea Org. Scientology's rejection of children is solely a practical concern. Flag Order 3905-1 states: Therefore Sea Org members who have new children will not be allowed to remain on duty in Sea Org units. Such Sea Org members will be sent to a Class V org for duty and in order to infuse Sea Org productivity and thus help the assigned Class V org expand. This issue establishes the exact lines to be used when a Sea Org member begets a child. | }} Flag Order 3905 “upped the ante” by guaranteeing that couples getting pregnant would be banished from the elite Sea Org. It increased the harshness of this penalty by mandating expectant couples be reassigned to undesirable Scientology Organizations far removed from existing friends and family. In this, FO3905 is a reiteration of Scientology detested “disconnection policy” . As FO 3905-1 states: }} With executives continuing to pressure Sea Org members to terminate pregnancies, few failed to recognize the board of directors warning for what is was. Restating "Enrico Entheta's" charge: }} Since it was apparent that the number of openings to accommodate banished parents was limited (even in undesirable locations) FO3905-1 served predominantly as a threat. In practice, FO 3905 simply hardened the "ethics offense" against the church, for allowing child bearing to interfere with Sea Org duties. In effect, FO 3905-1 was further undisguised harassment on married couples to refrain from conjugal relations and pressure to abort pregnancies. Ex-Scientologist "Fabian Macabian" recalls: }} Control and dominance While practical concerns over who will cover vacant job slots initiated Scientology's abortion policy, the fundamental issue of dominance is important. Control and dominance is the foundation of authoritarianism. Taking control of a woman's body is tantamount to taking control of the woman. In a broader sense, it is taking control of a couple's conjugal independence. Their genetic right and impulse to create a family. In certain contexts, procreation can be viewed as an act of rebellion. Does the individual or the “tribe” have control over birthrights? The primordial nature of the question may disclose the vehemence with which Scientology enforces its sanctions. SabinaM, recounts Scientology's the particularly harsh treatment of one married couple whose "crime" was the desire to have children: }} Ex-Scientologist, Carmel writes of her own experience: Then I made it known. It was horrible! I had around six different interviews with senior execs, who tried to convince me to have an abortion. I went to ethics about three times, and to cramming a few times for FDSing re-indoctrination... It was shoved in my face that the org had invested all this time and money training me, and that now I was going to throw it all away. It was also shoved in my face, that we had already 'lost' two members to pregnancies (Genny my bridesmaid who was about 5 months at the time), was already having a baby and me having one, just wasn't an option. I pointed out to them, that I had audited counseled and/or C/Sed for SO crew and staff who were forced to have abortions, and that under no circumstances was I going to subject myself to the kind of 'charge' upset that they had, by submitting and having an abortion. These people 'handling' me, then assigned the 'mental charge' associated with the forced abortions, to similar brainwashing from the catholics. The whole fiasco and guilt trip was a mind f--k, and it continued until the point that I was over three months, and an abortion was no longer an option. | }} Scientology establishes its dominance over members in numerous ways. A policy requiring a staff member to requisition permission to have a baby may be one of the more unusual instances. According to ex-staff member "Once bitten": There was no way I was going to have an abortion.... I blew in early 83 just 3 weeks after I had him son because I didn't want him going into the SO creche and fed on barley water. My son is now 25 and gorgeous!! | }} Of all the polices and practices in Scientology, coercing members to have abortions is arguably the most 'anti-religious'. The cycle of renewal from birth to death (often juxtaposed with the cycle of the seasons and the church calender) are fundamental to many religions. Scientology's blithe willingness to force a woman to terminate a precious segment of that cycle for the sake of office efficiency is not only antithetical to religion, but also crass. The significance of abortion in Scientology is not political. It is an issue of force, coercion, and human rights. Scientology is unconcerned with the moral question many churches struggle over very seriously. Scientology forces abortion on staff and Sea Org members as a matter of business expediency. Scientology coerces woman and men to terminate pregnancies as a means to dominate and control. That use of force is a human rights abuse of great proportion. References Category:Copied from Chanology Wiki